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| STATUE OF CALIFORNIA - The beautiful picture
on this page represents one of the most artistic scenes at the
World's Fair. The statue of California stood on the apex of a
pyramid of semi-tropical plants, a bear guarding her footsteps, a
garlanded banner in her hand, a token of peace extended, the star of
empire upon her crown, the look of wealth upon her mature and stately
person. Possibly no other statuary of the Fair, into which modern
decoration had dared to venture, composed a whole so praiseworthy and
refreshing to the eye. About this centre-piece the counties of
California may be seen, like States in the Agricultural Building. In
fact, here was a Horticultural and Agricultural Building combined,
and if the visitor should fail to see the fifteen thousand oranges in
the orange tower of Los Angeles, or its Liberty Bell with four thousand five hundred
oranges, then here, not far from this statue he would find the globe
of six thousand five hundred oranges erected by the same county, and
mayhap he might be presented with all the grapes, or pears, or
oranges that he could carry home. Never before was fruit from
California so plentiful, or cheap outside the park as in 1893.
Besides the luscious fruits there was a striking and rich display of
Pampas plumes and mosses, and odd and ingenious figures in prunes,
raisins, and beans. Marshall's gold-nugget was shown here, and the
reader may see several of the large landscape paintings that adorned
the walls above the gallery. |
